While Cutting Fruit
by paynesgrey
Summary: Kaoru's a clumsy cook but an excellent sword wielder. Megumi is an antagonist and meddler, but this time her lesson can do Kaoru some good, and then some. Shoujoai implications. Light MegumiKaoru


**While Cutting Fruit**

Kaoru frowned as she looked down at the lumpy pieces of nectarine. Honestly, she was no good with this cooking stuff anyway, but it seemed silly that she couldn't even cut slices of fruit – artfully in sections and not the messy mashed looking pieces in front of her.

"Ohohoho," laughed someone behind her, and Kaoru inwardly groaned when she realized whom it was. If she didn't feel enough inadequacy at the moment, Megumi usual jabs would certainly bring her ego down into the dirt.

"Oho, I can't even believe the little Tanuki, as famed as she is with the sword, cannot even cut simple fruit," Megumi teased, enjoying the way Kaoru's face flared up as she spoke. She wrinkled her nose as she inspected the mangled nectarine and clucked her tongue in disapproval. "How sad, apparently you need my guidance for this as well." She stroked her chin with her finger and looked away. "I wonder if I'm in the mood for helping you today."

"You! Don't bother!" Kaoru clenched her fist and clutched the knife hard to her side. "You'd best go and leave me alone so I can finish cutting these for Kenshin." Kaoru turned and looked pitifully at the fruit and intended to get another. She had planned to cut some fruit for him when he returned from an errand, but there was no way she could present such ugly food to Kenshin!

Still smirking, Megumi watched Kaoru's pathetic expression with soft interest.

"Well, if they're for Kenshin, I have no choice _but_ to help you." She moved behind Kaoru, and Kaoru gasped as she felt the woman's body heat so close to hers. Megumi slid the mangled fruit aside and took out a fresh, uncut nectarine – readying it for slicing.

Kaoru crossed her arms and snorted. "Don't tell me you're going to give me some speech about how cutting fruit is just like cutting flesh in your field of work. I don't want to hear your speeches, Megumi."

Megumi grabbed her hand with the knife and set the blade hovering atop of the skin of the fruit. Kaoru gasped as her the woman squeezed her hand over hers, a skin on skin contact making her nervous with their already close proximity.

"Cutting is cutting," said Megumi simply, her tone without jest or malice. Her breath was on the shell of Kaoru's ear as she stood behind her. "How do you practice your sword? Do you cut through the air with precision – a goal to achieve with the stroke of your blade? Do you know just the right point to strike your attackers?"

Kaoru's eyes widened and the weight of Megumi's hand felt heavy over hers, and the blade of the knife slowly buckled, breaking the skin of the nectarine.

And what Megumi was saying –could she attribute her knowledge of the sword with such a simple task as cutting fruit? Kaoru was sure that Megumi felt the same way when she held a scalpel in her hand.

"_Cutting is cutting." _

It was so simple, yet so useful, and Kaoru felt oddly touched. As she concentrated, she made the first slice into the fruit, and she began to feel Megumi's other hand cup her waist. Kaoru swallowed, feeling intensely bothered by Megumi's closeness, her sudden change in mood to teach her rather than berate her for her clumsiness.

Hot breath tickled her ear again, and she felt Megumi caress her hand over her fingers as she cut.

"There." Megumi's soft voice almost startled her. "You're getting it."

Kaoru looked down, flushed, and trying to concentrate on the task at hand. Megumi's closeness unnerved her and her voice was soft in her ears.

She swallowed, and she closed her eyes – uncomfortable.

When she opened them, Megumi was celebrating. Down before them was perfectly cut slices of nectarine with the pit cleanly removed. "You did it, Tanuki!" She squeezed her waist affectionately, and before making a move she whispered. "You had an excellent teacher, neh?" Kaoru blushed a brighter shade of red.

And as Megumi sashayed away from Kaoru's personal space, Kaoru froze in her spot. Her mind and body were abuzz with strange sensations and thoughts. The feel of Megumi's hand on her waist burned in memory, and the softness of her voice was a repetitive aria in her brain.

"Well, don't stand there like a lump!" Kaoru was brought out of her strange reverie and met the gaze of the annoyed female apothecary. Megumi crossed her arms in a huff, and Kaoru blinked in confusion. "Thank me already! Honestly, you're a selfish, ungrateful brat!"

Kaoru opened her mouth in shock, unable to speak. Megumi's closeness had really affected her, and then she turned around and was rude to her again.

And when Kaoru snapped back into reality, she shook her head at Megumi's behavior and sighed. She felt stupid for getting all worked up like that, and she looked down at the magnificent slices of fruit in front of her.

"Kenshin!" Megumi floated over to him, and her sudden presence in Kenshin's space made him visibly uncomfortable. "Come look at the fruit I taught Kaoru how to cut for you!"

Kaoru's lip curled in anger as Megumi stepped up and stole credit from her.

Yep, same old Megumi; so why did Kaoru think she'd act any differently?

END


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